New policy to help city workers retire earlier

Published: Thursday, April 3, 2014 at 10:55 p.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, April 3, 2014 at 10:55 p.m.

Hendersonville City Council on Thursday extended the deadline for an Upward Road development, delayed by the great recession, and approved a new retirement plan that allows longtime employees the chance to cash in their sick days for early retirement.

The council also declared Fourth Avenue as the city's first Bicycle Boulevard after setting a policy that will allow absent council members to participate in meetings and closed sessions electronically. The policy requires that a quorum (at least three council members), including the mayor and mayor pro tem, be physically present for any meeting.

A city council member wishing to attend a meeting via electronic means must notify the mayor and the city manager no later than 48 hours in advance of a meeting.

A plugged-in council member will be considered present at the meeting and will be allowed to vote, but is “discouraged” from participating in a closed session. “No vote by a person attending a closed session electronically is permitted in that closed session unless the measure being voted upon is passed regardless of the votes of any persons attending electronically. A person attending the close session electronically may participate in a vote taken out of closed session without this restriction,” according to the policy.

The policy did “not create a right for the public to observe and record any closed session of the City Council conducted pursuant to law.”

Early retirement

On a motion by Councilman Jeff Miller, the council unanimously approved a plan that allows loyal city workers with at least 27 years of service the chance to retire early. But the council declined to approve another plan that would leave those workers on their own for health insurance until they can receive Medicare.

Under the city's current plan, employees have to serve 30 years before becoming eligible to retire with health insurance benefits until they reach a Medicare-eligible age. They are reimbursed for a certain amount of unused vacation days. The new plan gives eligible employees the option of trading in their unused sick days to count toward the 30-year requirement for retiring with health insurance.

Employees are offered 12 sick days a year.

Councilman Jerry Smith said that he liked the idea of an early retirement, but he did not like the idea of an aged worker being stuck without insurance.

“If they retire at 62, they're on their own until they reach 65,” Smith said. “I don't know how you go out without a job at age 62 and buy medical insurance which you definitely need, until you turn 65. It seems to me that's a benefit worth offering to people who are willing to work that long for the city.”

Councilman Jeff Miller agreed. “Jerry's points are accurate, I think. We would come out better for them to retire, but the other part, too, is they may not be disabled, but they may be really tired and that's where I think this could come in too.”

The plan is strictly voluntary for employees.

Upward Road

The council agreed to give the Upward Road Development Group LLC until May 3, 2015 to begin construction and May 4, 2017 to complete construction of a park bordering the eastbound exit ramp of Interstate 26 and Upward Road.

In 2007, the group received a special use permit from the city to build six buildings on 6.53 acres of land. The project included plans for a 51,000-square-foot three-story hotel, a 6,000-square-foot restaurant, an 8,000-square-foot retail shop, a 2,130-square-foot building for coffee or fast food, and a 2,450-square-foot bank.

The project was required to start by May 3 and finish by May 24, 2016.

“For the past seven lean years we have kept faith with our plans and have paid seven years of bank interest and taxes. We now have a sales contract with a reputable company for approximately one-third of the property,” said Pete De La Vega and Neil B. Farnam, members of the group, in a letter to the city. “They wish to close and begin work as soon as possible but will probably not be able to meet the deadline of the existing special use permit.”

Farnam told the council that they also have a letter of intent from another company interested in a part of the property. He doubts the likelihood that all five buildings, as originally planned, would come to fruition.

Bike boulevard

Joe Sanders, president of the Blue Ridge Bicycling Club, asked during the council's March 3 meeting that the city to consider designating Fourth Avenue from Laurel Park to Jackson Park as a bicycle boulevard. He returned Thursday to show the board what the lane-sharing markings would look like on the avenue.

He said the thermo-plastic markings will remind cyclists to ride in the middle of lanes and motorists to be aware of cyclists.

Sanders told the council that the club is willing to cover all costs of installing the markings on the roadway and will work with the city on other projects, including adding way-finding markers with destination distances for bikers along the route.

In other action, City Council:

-Read proclamations marking the month of April as Autism Awareness Month and as Parkinson's Awareness Month in the city of Hendersonville. City hall will be illuminated with blue lights at night in recognition of Autism Awareness. Mayor Barbara Volk also read a proclamation marking May 11-17 as Relay for Life Days in the city, leading up to Henderson County's Relay for Life May 16-17 at the WNC Agricultural Center.

-Approved a Planning Board recommendation to remove 31 properties consisting of a total of 40 acres and including the WNC Air Museum from the city's extraterritorial planning jurisdiction, effective in 90 days. Ken Stubbs, a property owner and representative of the museum, asked the city to remove the properties from the ETJ after getting consent from his neighbors.

-Approved a request to waive all city fees associated with installing up to 30 public transit shelters set to sprout in the city from 2015-2020.

-Approved a resolution adopting an investment and cash management policy.

-Approved a resolution tentatively awarding the construction contract for the Shepherd Creek/Atkinson Elementary Sanitary Sewer improvements project to Hall Contracting Corp., out of Charlotte. Hall was the lowest responsive and responsible bidder, offering to complete the project for a little over $2 million. The award is contingent upon the approval of the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

-Granted an easement for Duke Energy to install a distribution line on an undeveloped piece of city property just off of South Grove Street.

-Approved a request from the Downtown Advisory Committee to have the city's southside gateway “H” repainted to a brilliant gold by its original manufacturer.

<p>Hendersonville City Council on Thursday extended the deadline for an Upward Road development, delayed by the great recession, and approved a new retirement plan that allows longtime employees the chance to cash in their sick days for early retirement.</p><p>The council also declared Fourth Avenue as the city's first Bicycle Boulevard after setting a policy that will allow absent council members to participate in meetings and closed sessions electronically. The policy requires that a quorum (at least three council members), including the mayor and mayor pro tem, be physically present for any meeting.</p><p>A city council member wishing to attend a meeting via electronic means must notify the mayor and the city manager no later than 48 hours in advance of a meeting. </p><p>A plugged-in council member will be considered present at the meeting and will be allowed to vote, but is “discouraged” from participating in a closed session. “No vote by a person attending a closed session electronically is permitted in that closed session unless the measure being voted upon is passed regardless of the votes of any persons attending electronically. A person attending the close session electronically may participate in a vote taken out of closed session without this restriction,” according to the policy.</p><p>The policy did “not create a right for the public to observe and record any closed session of the City Council conducted pursuant to law.”</p><p> </p><p><b>Early retirement</b></p><p>On a motion by Councilman Jeff Miller, the council unanimously approved a plan that allows loyal city workers with at least 27 years of service the chance to retire early. But the council declined to approve another plan that would leave those workers on their own for health insurance until they can receive Medicare.</p><p>Under the city's current plan, employees have to serve 30 years before becoming eligible to retire with health insurance benefits until they reach a Medicare-eligible age. They are reimbursed for a certain amount of unused vacation days. The new plan gives eligible employees the option of trading in their unused sick days to count toward the 30-year requirement for retiring with health insurance.</p><p>Employees are offered 12 sick days a year.</p><p>Councilman Jerry Smith said that he liked the idea of an early retirement, but he did not like the idea of an aged worker being stuck without insurance.</p><p>“If they retire at 62, they're on their own until they reach 65,” Smith said. “I don't know how you go out without a job at age 62 and buy medical insurance which you definitely need, until you turn 65. It seems to me that's a benefit worth offering to people who are willing to work that long for the city.”</p><p>Councilman Jeff Miller agreed. “Jerry's points are accurate, I think. We would come out better for them to retire, but the other part, too, is they may not be disabled, but they may be really tired and that's where I think this could come in too.”</p><p>The plan is strictly voluntary for employees.</p><p> </p><p><b>Upward Road</b></p><p>The council agreed to give the Upward Road Development Group LLC until May 3, 2015 to begin construction and May 4, 2017 to complete construction of a park bordering the eastbound exit ramp of Interstate 26 and Upward Road.</p><p>In 2007, the group received a special use permit from the city to build six buildings on 6.53 acres of land. The project included plans for a 51,000-square-foot three-story hotel, a 6,000-square-foot restaurant, an 8,000-square-foot retail shop, a 2,130-square-foot building for coffee or fast food, and a 2,450-square-foot bank.</p><p>The project was required to start by May 3 and finish by May 24, 2016.</p><p>“For the past seven lean years we have kept faith with our plans and have paid seven years of bank interest and taxes. We now have a sales contract with a reputable company for approximately one-third of the property,” said Pete De La Vega and Neil B. Farnam, members of the group, in a letter to the city. “They wish to close and begin work as soon as possible but will probably not be able to meet the deadline of the existing special use permit.”</p><p>Farnam told the council that they also have a letter of intent from another company interested in a part of the property. He doubts the likelihood that all five buildings, as originally planned, would come to fruition.</p><p> </p><p><b>Bike boulevard</b></p><p>Joe Sanders, president of the Blue Ridge Bicycling Club, asked during the council's March 3 meeting that the city to consider designating Fourth Avenue from Laurel Park to Jackson Park as a bicycle boulevard. He returned Thursday to show the board what the lane-sharing markings would look like on the avenue.</p><p>He said the thermo-plastic markings will remind cyclists to ride in the middle of lanes and motorists to be aware of cyclists.</p><p>Sanders told the council that the club is willing to cover all costs of installing the markings on the roadway and will work with the city on other projects, including adding way-finding markers with destination distances for bikers along the route.</p><p> </p><p><b>In other action, City Council:</b></p><p>-Read proclamations marking the month of April as Autism Awareness Month and as Parkinson's Awareness Month in the city of Hendersonville. City hall will be illuminated with blue lights at night in recognition of Autism Awareness. Mayor Barbara Volk also read a proclamation marking May 11-17 as Relay for Life Days in the city, leading up to Henderson County's Relay for Life May 16-17 at the WNC Agricultural Center.</p><p>-Approved a Planning Board recommendation to remove 31 properties consisting of a total of 40 acres and including the WNC Air Museum from the city's extraterritorial planning jurisdiction, effective in 90 days. Ken Stubbs, a property owner and representative of the museum, asked the city to remove the properties from the ETJ after getting consent from his neighbors. </p><p>-Approved a request to waive all city fees associated with installing up to 30 public transit shelters set to sprout in the city from 2015-2020.</p><p>-Approved a resolution adopting an investment and cash management policy.</p><p>-Approved a resolution tentatively awarding the construction contract for the Shepherd Creek/Atkinson Elementary Sanitary Sewer improvements project to Hall Contracting Corp., out of Charlotte. Hall was the lowest responsive and responsible bidder, offering to complete the project for a little over $2 million. The award is contingent upon the approval of the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources.</p><p>-Granted an easement for Duke Energy to install a distribution line on an undeveloped piece of city property just off of South Grove Street.</p><p>-Approved a request from the Downtown Advisory Committee to have the city's southside gateway “H” repainted to a brilliant gold by its original manufacturer.</p><p>Reach Weaver at Emily.weaver@blueridgenow.com or 828-694-7867.</p>